The Tennessee baseball team was able to overcome a slow start to extend their season opening win streak to eight games when they defeated the Liberty Flames on Tuesday evening at Lindsey Nelson Stadium, 7-1.
Liberty was able to get on the board first in the top of the first, as the Flames were able to convert on a couple of mistakes by the Vols defense.
With Sean Hunley on the mound for Tennessee, Liberty leadoff man Jonathan Embry was able to draw a leadoff walk. The next batter, Brandon Rohrer, hit what looked to be a double-play ball to Vols third baseman, Andre Lipcius. However, Lipcius was unable to field the ball cleanly and both runners were able to reach safely.
“I don’t expect to make that error on that ball,” Lipcius said. “No matter what, coach will try to make me a better player.”
Later in the inning, after a fielder’s choice and another walk by Hunley, Flames’ freshman Drew Baughman was able to hit a sacrifice fly to left field to put Liberty on the board first, 1-0.
However, after the first inning, Hunley was able to settle in for the Vols. Overall, Hunley was able to pitch six innings for Tennessee, allowing two hits and only giving up the one run.
“Hunley kind of lulls you to sleep on the mound,” Tennessee head coach Tony Vitello said. “Last year, games like this were frustrating because he did not look like he had his best stuff, but he always seems to do his thing.”
It took Tennessee a few innings to figure out Mason Meyer, the left-handed starter for Liberty. In the fifth inning, the Vols’ offense was able to break through in a big way.
The inning started off the right way for Tennessee, as Ricky Martinez was able to single right back up the middle. After two straight fly outs, the top of the order was able to keep the inning going for the Vols with a Justin Ammons double and a Jay Charleston walk.
That brought Andre Lipcius up to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. In Lipcius’s last at-bat with the bases loaded, he was able to clear the bases with a double on Sunday against Indiana.
This time around, he was able to one-up that appearance. Lipcius took the Meyer changeup and drove it over the left field wall for a grand slam, the second of his career.
“I was sitting back on a changeup, because the previous at-bats he was throwing a lot of changeups in the count,” Lipcius said. “It is kind of the same thing that happened on Sunday; I was looking changeup and he threw it.”
The Vols were able to break the game open in the sixth inning, as they tacked three more runs on the board.
Just like in the fifth inning, Tennessee was able to lead off the inning with a single, this time by Pete Derkay. After pinch runner Alerick Soularie was able to steal two bases, Martinez singled to score another run for the Vols to give them a 5-1 lead.
Later in the inning, Ammons was able to double to the left-center field gap to score Martinez and Luc Lipcius, giving the Vols a comfortable 7-1 lead. Ammons would finish his day going 3-for-5 with two doubles and the two big RBIs.
“The preparation for the game today was pretty spot on,” Ammons said. “At the end of the day, we have been getting our runs, so it has been pretty good.”
After Sean Hunley exited the game on the mound for Tennessee, the Vols were able to mix in a few different arms out of the bullpen to give different guys some experience.
First out of the pen was junior Andrew Schultz. After he walked the first batter he faced, he responded with two straight strikeouts.
Chase Silseth would come into the game to finish the seventh inning for the Vols, retiring the only batter he faced. To close the game out, Will Heflin and Richard Jackson each got an inning of work, both of which were shutout innings.
Tennessee will have a quick turnaround, as it will be back in action tomorrow afternoon against a familiar foe in Middle Tennessee State.
The Vols and Blue Raiders managed to split their season series last year, both picking up one victory. First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m. at Lindsey Nelson Stadium.
